Fabric receiver for knitting machines



3 and State of Rhode Island, have invented- Patented sept. 3c, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IAX MILLER, 0F CUMBERLAND HILL, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR T0 JENCKESKIN'ITTINGI IACHINE. COMPANY, OF PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORA-TION 0F RHODE ISLAND.

FABRIC RECEIVER FOR KNITTING MACHINES..

Original application led April 5, 1,921,

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MAX C. MILLER, a. citizen of Germany, residing atCumber- V[:Trd Hill, in the county of Cumberland certain new andusefulImprovements y.in Fabric Receivers for Knitting Machines; and I dohereby declare the`following to be a -full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

vThe invention`relates to that class of which the needle cylinder isgiven a rotary movement in knitting the leg and foot and .is given areciprocatory movement l1n knittingthe heel and toe of a stocking.

Machines of the above type are usually provided with fabric receiversfor receiving the web of fabric which passes down throughI the interioro f the needle cylinder during the knitting.

It is the object of the present invention to provide novel and improvedmechanism for rotating the fabric receiver in unison with the needlecylinder during rotary knitting and for dis-continuing its movementduring reciprocatory knitting which is simple in construction, avoidsstrain and wear on ,the gearing through which the needle cylinder isrotated, and permits acce to the receiverv at all times without dangerof injury to the operator. To these ends the invention comprises thefeatures `of construction and combination' of parts hereinafter@described and referred to in the claims. n

The present application is a division of application Serial No. 458,640,liled April 5, 1921, and in the drawings a preferred form of theinvention is shown applied to the machine which is fully shown anddescribed in said application. a side elevation partly in sectionshowing so much of the machine asis necessary to illustrate theapplication 'of the present invention thereto, and Fig. 2jis a detail ofthe means for connecting anddisconnecting the fabricreceiver and itsactuat `in mechanism.

-- Y e machine shown 1n the drawings 1s provided with a rotary needlecylinder inseamless hosiery knitting machines inl Fig. 1 isy Serial No.458,640. Divided and this application led Kay 27, 1922. Serial No.564,210.

ries a beveled gear, 10 engaged and driven Y.

from a similar gear 12 loosely mounted on the driving shaft 14. Themotion changing mechanisln for rotating and oscillating the needlecylinder comprises two -pinions indicated at 16, one of which is securedto the shaft, and the other of which is mounted to oscillate about theshaft, and a clutch arranged between the pinions and adapted to beshifted by the patternA mechanism of the machine to connect either oneor the other of the pinions with the gear 12 through which the needlecylinder is driven. The oscillating pinion is actuated through a segmentlever 18 mounted on a work shaft 20 and oscillated from a crank 22 whichis vcarried by a gear 24 and is connected to the lever through a link26; The gear is engaged and continuously driven by the pinion 16 whichis fixed to the driving shaft.

In the form shown the fabric receiver consists of a can 28, the upperend of which is open to receive the knitting fabric which passes downthrough the interior of the needle cylinder during vthe knitting. Theupper end of the can is arranged at'some distance below the lower end ofthe needle cylinder and the supports therefor and the actuatingmechanism 'for the can is connected therewith below its upper end sothat there may be a free unobstructed space at the upper end of the canpermitting free access theretoat all times without tical shaft 30 whichis rotated in unison with the needle cylinder through a train of gearingwhich is separate and independent of the train of gearing through whichrotary motion is transmitted to the needle c linder. This gearingcomprises a bevele ear 32 on the lower end of the shaftwhic 4engagesasimilar gear 34 on los one end of a 'shaft 36, the other end of whichisconnected by beveled gears 38 with the lower end of a vertical shaft 40.The upper end of the shaft 40 is provided with a beveled gear 42 whichis engaged and driven by 'a beveled gear 44 carried"by the continuouslyrotating crank gear 24. The gearing is so proportioned that the shaft 30rotates in unison with the needle cylinder making one revolution foreach revolution of the needle cylinder.

The lower end of the can is connected with the shaft 30 by a clutch, onemember`ofwhich consists of an annular rib 46' formed on the lower end ofthe can, and provided with clutch teeth on its lower edge, and the othermember of which comprises a horizontal disk 48 secured to the shaft andprovided with teeth engaged by the teeth on the rib 46. During rotaryknitting the rib 46 rests on the disk 48 so that the can rotates withthe shaft 30 in unison with the needle cylinder. l/Vhen the motion ofthe needle cylinder is changed from rotary to reciprocating the clutchmembers 46 and 48 are disengaged, thus disconnecting the can from theshaft 80 so that it will remainstationary durin the reciprocation of theneedle cylinder. lpon the change back to rotary motion the clutchmembers are re-engaged to re-connect the can with the Shaft so that 'itwill be again rotated in unison with the needle cylinder. Thedisengagement and reengagement of the clutch members is preferablyeffected by raising and lowering the can through mechanism operated fromthe pattern mechanism of the machine. v

The means shown for raising and lowering the can to disconnect it fromand conof the can when it is lifted shown and described nect it with theshaft 30 comprises an annular support 50 underlying the bottom of thecan and pivotally supported on a yoke 52 at the forward end of a lever54. A The rear end of the lever is engaged by a collar 56 on avertical'rod 58, the upper end of .which is arranged to be engaged by alever 60 which is in turn engaged andactuated by cams 62 on the patternshaft 64 of the machine. The support. 50 is held yieldingly in positionby supporting springs 66 and is provided with friction material 68 sothat it acts as a brake for arrestingthe rotation as well as a supportfor holding it out of engagement with the clutch disk 48.

While it is preferred to employ the speci c construction and arrangementof parts in embodying the invention in the-machine of the-applicationabove referred to it will be understood that this construction andarrangement is not essential to the broader features ofthe invention andmay be varied or modified as found desirable or best suited to the`con-` struction and mode of operation of the macylinder,

zfabric receiver below the chine to which the invention is to beapplied.

What is claimed is:

y l. A knitting machine having, in combination, a rotating andreciprocating needle der, mechanism underlying and engaging the lowerend of the fabric receiver for rotating it in unison with the needlecylinder during rotary knitting, and means for disconnecting thereceiver during reciprocatory knitting.

2. A knittingbmachine having, in combination, a rotatingand'reciprocating needle cylinder, a fabric receiving can having anvopen upper end which is spaced from the lower end of the needlecylinder and is unobstructed to `give free access to the can, mechanismconnected with the can below its upper end for rotating it in unisonwith the cylinder during rotary knitting, and means for interrupting therotation of the can during reciprocatory knitting.

3. A knitting machine having, in combination, a rotating andreciprocating needle cylinder, a fabric receiver below the cylinder, aclutch at the lower end of the receiver through which it is rotated inunison with the 'needle cylinder during rotary knit.

ting, and mechanism for disengaging the clutch during reciprocatoryknitting.

4. A knitting machine having, in combination, a rotating andreciprocating needle cylinder, a fabric receiving can below thecylinder, a clutch member on the lower end of the can, a cooperatingrotary clutch member on which the can is supported during rotaryknitting, and a vertically movable support for lifting the can duringreciprocatory knitting.

5. A knitting machine having, in combination, a rotating andreciprocating needle cylinder, a vertical shaft below the cylinder, afabric receiving can mounted on the shaft, a clutch for connecting thelower end of the can with the shaft. and means for disengaging theclutch during reciprocatory knitting.

6. A knitting machine having, in combination, a rotating andreciprocating needle cylinder, a vertical shaft below the needlecylinder. a fabric receivingr can mounted on the upper end of the shaft,a toothed rib on the lower end of the can, a zoothed supporting disk onthe shaft, and means for raising the can to disengage the rib from thedisk during reciprocatory knitting.

7. A knitting machine having, in combination, a needle cylinder.`mechanism for rotating and for oscillating the cylinder, a cylinder, arotary support underlying and rotating the' receiver, and means forraising the receiver from the support during miprocatory knitting.

MAX C. MILLER.

a fabric receiver below the cylin-

